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The Solar Roof: The Future of Solar Energy

Introduction:
In an era where humans are being pressured to reduce their environmental footprint but still feel the
need to live in aesthetically pleasing homes, it has been impractical for the middle-class American to
implement clunky, inefficient solar panels on their houses in the previous decade. Elon Musk, CEO of
Tesla, has recently attempted to tackle this issue with the innovation of solar glass roof tiles. This
technology combines the most heavily sought-after facets of new technology: the new look, efficiency,
extreme durability, and simple implementation.

Orientation:
The solar roof harnesses all the potential of sustainable solar energy, but packages this technology in a
smaller, more compact tile, identical to any common roof tile and available in several, sleek styles (see
Figure 1). Since everyone needs a roof, the integration of solar technology into a necessity is what makes
this concept so innovative.

Figure 1

They offer customizable energy levels that can be adjusted to your familys energy level needs. These
glass tiles are made to be extremely durable, three times stronger than your
everyday tiles to be exact, to protect from hail, high winds, and other weather
variables. This glass was developed by Tesla and is owned by Tesla. This
durability is a beneficial feature, but additionally, Tesla offers a lifetime warranty
on these roofs.

These solar tiles work by converting sunlight to energy and storing this energy
for your home; Tesla claims these tiles perform by turning your home into a
personal utility. Figure 2 displays the compact Powerwall home battery that
collects the energy. This battery allows the user home to retain energy and keep
the family covered during local power outages or grid interruptions.
Figure 2
Musks reports that this solar roof will cost less than the cost of a normal roof plus the cost of electricity
has brought a lot of buzz to this innovative technology and generated heavy interest. And as far as IP
goes for the solar roof, Tesla inherited many solar implementation patents when it bought SolarCity. A
few of the patents relevant to this roof are entitled High Efficiency Solar Panel and Flashing System for
Mounting Photovoltaic Arrays Onto Tile Roofs (I-Runway).

How it Works:
The solar roof operates by utilizing building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Explained by
EnergySage.com, what makes this different than a typical solar panel is the word integrated. In a
traditional solar panel, the panel is installed on top of the roof or hitched to the side of a building; it is a
distinct separate attachment. BIPV differs from this by integrating the solar technology in the initial
construction of the materials, in this case making the roof tiles solar-enabled.
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Within these integrated tiles, the technology they implement is the same technology a traditional solar
panel would use. Solar energy is harnessed when particles of light can bounce electrons away from atoms
and therefore producing an electric current (Michael Dhar, LiveScience Contributor), which can power the
home appliances or, if in excess, remain stored in the Powerwall home battery. Although Tesla has not
released the precise conversion efficiency of the roof, it is assumed to be high because of the pricing
attached. Every shingle on the roof includes a solar cell about 6 inches, and according to GreenTech
Media, if you assume a high efficiency, each cell will be producing 6 watts max.

For a 2300-square foot roof, over 30 years in Cincinnati with 70% of my roof covered in solar shingles,
Teslas solar calculator indicated a solar roof would generate $65,000 worth in energy. Additionally, this
purchase would warrant a tax credit of about $22,500 for investing in solar energy. According to the
calculator, over 30 years, this household would profit off their rooftop investment by $5000.

Timeline: Solar Energy Utilization

1839 1954 1964 1983

Edmond Becquerel Bell Labs NASA launches Solar Design
discovers introduces first Nimbus; this is a Assoc. create stand
Photovoltaic Effect practical silicon satelite powered alone, fully solar
photovoltaic (PV) by 470 watt PV powered home on
cell Hudson River
Valley

1998 1999 2000-2010 2016

Subhendu Guha Spectro Lab Inc. exponential Tesla releases
comes up with helps develop PV increase in plans to start
first concept of cell that converts implementation of manufacturing
solar roof shingles 32.3% light to home-use PV affordable,
electricty systems efficient solar
Current Situation: roofs

The Tesla Solar Roof has yet to hit homes across America, but the company is taking deposits of $1000 to
ensure the buyer a spot on the list. This technology is still underway, and Tesla is not offering Tuscan or
Slate style shingles until 2018. The current price of a Tesla solar shingle square foot is estimated $21.85, a
calculation made by EnergySage.com, which is a lot more than a typical roof. Normal roofing starts at
around $5-$6. The cost efficiency only surpasses a normal roof when the energy savings is factored in,
which may take up to 30 years to see rewards on. It is important to remember though, that these are
estimates and Tesla has yet to install many consumer roofs and run reports on the generated efficiencies.

Stage of Development~ The Solar Roof is far past the ideation stages and prototyping stages for its
first two shingle types: Textured and Smooth. Production is supposed to have started in California, this
month. All other states will be waiting in the meantime until Tesla releases upcoming phases of
production for those who have made the deposit for a roof. The current stage would be described as the
early-adopters implementation phase.

Stakeholder Involvement~ Tesla has recently purchased SolarCity to dive into the solar energy
realm. They have invested heavily into this industry to try and change how energy is produced and
consumed in years to come. As the climate change issue has gained attention, consumers and companies
alike are looking to decreased their environmental footprint. Renewable energy sources are the future of
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energy consumption and as we continue to exhaust our supply of fossil fuels, we will see consumers more
willing to invest their own money in the solar energy industry.

Next Steps~ The next step will be consumer implementation. As of this month, only Californians are
exposed to the actual product. Once the availability expands, so will the implementation. In a recent TED
talk given by Musk, he claimed that eventually almost all houses will have a solar roof, but foresees this
implementation taking 40 to 50 years, because of the typical lifespan of a roof of 20 years.

The following step after the first implementation, needs to be a price decrease to make this technology
available to more average middle-class and lower-middle class consumers as a way for them to save
money. This product right now, although Musk does explain the amount you save over time, is still a
luxury item because each shingle is 4 times as much as a traditional roof shingle. The only way to see
widespread adoption estimate by Musk is to market it to the masses, at a reasonable asking price.

Potential Issues:
A potential issue is cost over-runs. The current estimate is $21.85 a square foot, a calculation by
EnergySage.com, which is not set in stone. Since full-scale implementation has not started, quotes are
given on the Tesla website alongside their required deposit, but it is very possible an installation may
exceed that quote. The upfront price is already a concern since it is not within reach for most average
middle-class Americans.

Another potential issue is varying market trends across the continental U.S. Although Californians see a
lot of sunlight and statistically are more interested in green technologies, there is a threat that Tesla will
struggle in Midwestern states, where sunlight is not as common year-round and there is not as high an
interest in going green. For example, in a study released by WalletHub, California is ranked the 13th
greenest state, while Kentucky is 43rd and Wyoming is 50th.

Lessons and Best Practices:

Tesla is opening a market that had not existed before and using its reputable brand, known for high
quality, to transform the roofing market. Tesla is a luxury brand, and up to this point, many would
consider solar energy luxurious too because of its high upfront cost and misconception of inefficiency.
Tesla has strategically chosen to first implement the roof in California and explore those willing to pay a
premium price for the latest solar energy, before exploring ways to bring the pricing and practicality to all
Americans. Musks goal that almost all roofs will be solar within 50 years is starting with his luxury
customer base, but I believe he fully intends to make this something for all Americans.

We have seen this strategy with the Tesla Model 3, with a starting price of $35,000, the point was to bring
what was once a luxury-quality, to more average income Americans. Tesla is a true leader when it comes
to innovation and I think that their entrance into the solar energy field is not only for profit, but for
sustainability as well. This is what America needs to combat the extreme environmental footprint our
nation leaves daily. This kind of leadership is far beyond any of the companys technological competitors,
implementing both style and function into a basic need for every American. A roof over your head is a
necessity, and by innovating such a basic need, with intention to make it affordable to all, is incredibly
revolutionary.

References and Resources

https://www.tesla.com/solarroof https://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/pdfs/solar_timeline.pdf

http://news.energysage.com/tesla-solar-panel-roof-the-next-solar-shingles/ https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/the-economics-of-teslas-solar-roof

https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Elon-Musk-talks-about-Teslas-coming-solar-roof http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-solar-roof-elon-musks-best-product-2017-5

https://www.ted.com/talks/elon_musk_the_future_we_re_building_and_boring/transcript?language=en#t-1720141 https://www.forbes.com/sites/sleasca/2017/05/16/tesla-solar-roof-cost/#51d45b457621

https://www.livescience.com/41995-how-do-solar-panels-work.html https://wallethub.com/edu/greenest-states/11987/

https://electrek.co/2017/05/11/tesla-solar-roof-tile-connector/
https://www.curbed.com/2017/5/30/15710380/tesla-solar-roof-competitors-forward-labs

http://www.i-runway.com/blog/teslas-solar-roof-tech-innovation-investment-bait-or-media-hype/